Boat



C. l. BAER..

BOAT. APPEICATION mp0 1AN.24.1921.

Patented Feb. 14

gain

C. J. BAER.

BOAT.

APPLICATION FILED JAN; 24, 192].

1,40 02, Patented Feb. 14, 1922,

2 siizars-snm-z.

' barges joined in a string.

UNITED STATES CARL J. BAER, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

Boar.

To all whomit may concern: Be it known that I, CARL J. Bans, a citizen of the United States, residing at St. Louis and State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Boats, of which the following is a specification.

The invention broadly relates to the facilitation of the passage of boats or barges through the water. More particularly, the invention pertains to the provision of means adapted for attachment to a boat-like body, whereby the water between said body and the adjacent body, connected thereunto, may be enclosed and carried along with the connected boats, thereby preventing free circulation of water between said boats and eliIninating, the retarding influence of drawbacks and end thrusts.

The invention is especially adapted for use in connection with a plurality of boats or v Ordinarily such boat-like bodies (hereafter called barges), are of similar formation, provided with abutting ends which are usually convexedto permit of rolling contact in rounding curves. It is to be understood however that the invention is applicable to barges of any suitable bow and stern formation, for it is obvisufiicient to overcome the draw-back eifect at the stern of each, and also the end-thrust of the bow of every barge in the string.

My invention contemplates the substantial enclosure of all the water between the barges, whereby such water may be carried along therebetween and, in effect, become a component of the string. Experiments have proventhat it is-not necessary to provide an. absolutely water-tight joint between the barges ;'it is suflicient if afree circulation of :the water therebetween is prevented. Under suchfcircumstances practically the-only resistance to the movement of the string, of

units: through thewater, is the end thrust Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 14, 1922.

Application filed. January 24, 1921. Serial No. 439,423.

of each. The experiments hereinbefore re ferred to have disclosed the fact that a 20 per cent increase of speed may be imparted to the barges by enclosing the water in the space between them, and carrying said water along as a unit of the string.

An effective means of accomplishing this desired object, aswell as others, as will hereinafter appear, is shown in theaccompanying drawings forminga part of this application; in which- 1 1 ;Figure 1 is a side and top elevation show! Fig. 5 is a plan view of a modification,.

showing a somewhat different means for obtaining thedesired flexibility of certain elements. of the device, and

plan View of the two con- Fig. 6 is a sectional view of a modification showing the barge equipped with an outer.

shell or casing.

Fig.7 is a side plan view of the modification shown in Fig. 6.

In the drawingsA and B indicate bargeswhich are pivotally connected for-the swinging movementwhich is incident: to changes of direction. They are shown as provided with convexed and abutting ends, andcou nected by a link 1, which permits such swinging. It is to be understood that the showing of the formation of the endsof the barges. and of their pivotal connections, is

merely incidental, as it will hereinafter be made clear that the particular formation of the barge ends is immaterial, so long as there is a water space between them, and

that the specific form of coupling is not a.

part of this invention, so long as it is a coupling which p rmitsrelative swinging movemeritv of the barges.

In order to enclose thewater between the ends of the barges, I provide'a' housing,

designated as a whole by the letter C. Said and willbesojdescribed.

' Eachof the barges is equipped at its end with a bottom, transversely extending slot 2, and two substantially vertically-extending slots 3, 3, on either side. Said slots may be formed in the body of the barge, as shown in Fig l, or may beprovided by an outer shell or casing, as illustrated in Fig. 6. The housing C consists of a substantially horizontal floor member l, and two substantially verticalleaves 5, 5. One end of the housing is inserted into the slots in the end of a barge, and suitably secured thereto by rivets 6,.or otherwise. The portions of the leaves 5, enclosed by the slots 3, 3 may be integralv with the floor 4:,it desired for purposes of assembly, but the outer portions of said leaves are formed and adapted for transverse movement over the top of said floor, as will be hereinafter explained.

The outer ends of the leaves 5,5, and of the floor l, are inserted, respectively, into the slots 3, and the slot'2, of the connected boat, the leaves being't'ree for longitudinal movement in said slots, and the floor member being "ree for lateral rotativc movement. ln such. position. after the barges are con nectedby the link 1,'it will be obvious that any turning movement of the barge B will cause an inward movement ofone of the leaves 5. in the slot 3, and an outward move ment of the otherleat in its slot, Such movement could not take place, however, without 'flexure of the leaves, and I thereis flexible and inherently adapted to return to itsorig'inal position when the bargesresume their original alignment. I

It is desirable also that .the floor 4 he formed ota flexible material in order that itmay flex under the relative vertical move- .ments of the barge. To permit such movement the'vei'tical slots in the connected barge may be of a greater height than theheight of the leaves 5 and-somewhatlonger than the enclosed portion of said leaves permitting -the 'necessary vertical rocking of the leaves and as'shown' therein, as will be understood in dotted lines in Fig. 11

It is veryrlear'that the-sole purpose of the leaves 5, 5,:md the floor 4, is to enclose the water between the ends of the barges and to carry it along; as a unit by preventing free circulation thereof between said ends. Such being the case thin strips-of material are all that is necessary, and said'leaves and floor may be formed of sheet metal or of any ma terial which is inherentlyflexible.

1f it is desirejdto provide a different de 'gree of flexib lity the leaves 5. 5, may be hingedly connected as shown at 6, in Fig, 5, and spring members '7, 7,secured to one side of the hinge-and extended through straps 8, 8, secured to the other side. This constr-uction would cause'thesections of the leaves'fi', 5, to pivot upon'each other in the within the "scope of the appended fore prefer to form them of a material which spring memhers 7, 7, would tend to restore their original positions when the barges are again aligned;

The modification shown in F ig. 6 more vreadilyadapts my device for application to free ends of the leaves 5, 5, and the floor 4,

are .slidably inserted in the casing of the connected barge, as shown in Fig. 7. 4

It will be observed that, in all cases, the

free end of the floor t is rounded or cut away at its edge, and especially near the boats having a water space therebetween, of

a plate projecting from each side ofthe central lineof one boat and extending. intq d. The combination with two" connected recesses in the connected boat, substantially described.-

' ,2; The combination with a boat provided 'on each side of its centralline with a member PPOJQClLIHg from its end, of a boat adapt ed to be connected to: said first'ment-ioned boat andprovided with recesses adapted to receiveisaid members, whereby, when said members is enclosed.

boats are coupled, the water between said The combination with twoconnected hoatshaving a water space therebetween of means extending between said boats andinto recesses provided adjacent the ends thereof,

whereby the water between said boats isenclosed, said means including elements adapted to flex under relative movements ofthe boats. M '4. The combination with two connected boats having a water spacetherebetween of plate-like members extending between said boats and into recesses provided adj acentth'o ends thereof on each side of the central line of the boats-whereby the water between said boats is enclosedfsaid means including members adapted for" longitudinal movement in the recesses in "one of said boats.

turning movements of the barges, and the L5. The combination with two connected 0 'vided with flexible members extending into recesses formed in the other boat, said members being adapted for flexure and longitudinal reciprocation in said recesses under the turning movements of the boats.

T. The combination with two connected boats having a water space therebetween, of a housing provided with plate-like members extending into recesses provided in one boat,

and secured thereto, the free ends: of said members extending into corresponding recesses provided in the other boat, on each side of the central line thereof and free for movement therein, whereby the water between said boats is enclosed, substantially as described.

8. The combination with two connected boats having a water space therebetween, of a housing provided with members extending into recesses provided in one boat, and secured thereto, the free ends of said members being flexible and extending into corresponding recesses provided in the other boat, and free for movement therein, whereby the water between said boats is enclosed at the sides and bottom and said members are flexed in the movements of the boats, sub

her and two side members, of-another boat adapted to be coupled thereto and provided with recesses adapted to receive said members when the boats are to be coupled, whereby the water between said boats is enclosed at the sides and bottom.

10. The combination with two connected boats having a water space therebetween, of a housing extending between said boats and adapted to enclose the water therebetween at the sides and bottom, said housing comprising substantially vertically extending spaced plat-es adapted to enclose said water at the sides and having ends extending into recesses in the ends of one of said boats, and a floor adapted to enclose the said water at the bottom and extending into a recess in the end of one of said boats, substantially as described.

11. The combination with two connected boats having a water space therebetween, of a housing extending between said boats and adapted to enclose the water therebetween at the sides and bottom, said housing comprising two substantially vertically extending side plates, extending into recesses in the end of one of said boats, and. a floor plate extending into another recess in said boat, the side plates being adapted for movement laterally across the face of the floor plate, substantially as described.

12. The combination with a boat provided on each side of its central line with a member projecting from its end, and with CARL J. BAER.) 

